After waking up late, Yang Chen took a quick moment to freshen up before heading down the stairs. The smell of breakfast already drifted through the house, and he knew it was time to join everyone in the dining hall.
When he stepped into the room, he saw that all the women were already seated around the long table. "All of you are here already?" Yang Chen asked while pulling out his usual chair.
He sat down and added with a touched look on his face, "Were you perhaps waiting for me?"
Nobody answered. They simply turned their eyes toward him with cool, quiet stares. It was obvious they had been sitting there for quite a while, and the silence felt heavier than any scolding words could.
Yang Chen coughed lightly and rubbed the back of his neck. "Sorry… for making you wait," he said in an embarrassed voice, fully aware now that he had kept them hanging.
